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Newsletters
Newsletters 'are electronic newspaper-like letters sent to subscribers of Blue Tea Games's ''email. The letters detail developer notes and teasers/previews of Blue Tea's future games. This page will serve as an archive for those letters, so that information may be taken and analyzed from them for future use. All grammar mistakes found in these newsletters will be corrected for ease of reading. Letters Archive '''May 2018 - "Early Announcement of the Next Dark Parables" "The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May." - Edwyn Way Teale Though it's already late spring, about May/June, we are glad to share our latest news with you on such a good day. Early announcement of the next Dark Parables Finished the latest Dark Parables, Return of the Salt Princess? Can't wait for the sequel? Most people guessed it correctly: the next Dark Parables will be based on the story The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen. And the title of this game will be: The Matchgirl's Lost Paradise. What can you imagine from the name? "Lost Paradise" gives a range of imagination. Could it be some sort of wonderland, or maybe a nightmare? How does it relate to the Matchgirl? Let's take a look at the teaser to see if there are any clues: Watch our channel Not enough hints? Okay, let's check some concept drafts. Before going to production, our artists base the story on how they feel about a certain scene in the game, along with the art lead's concept to make sure the style doesn't deviate too much, to create concept art. All the scenes in production will be based on these concept drafts as reference. Please be aware the final scene in the game may vary from the concepts below slightly. The New Town A beautiful village, but people have gone away; why? Decorative elements of stars are used, is there any meaning? A statue of a girl is erect in the town square. Who is she? Stars falling from the sky seem like an omen. Is it a good or bad one? The Old Town On the other side, a forgotten village has fallen into ruins for centuries. There's another statue, but it is different from the one in the new town. Could they be related? What's the relationship? A carriage is old and broken, yet illuminated by the moonlight. Traces of fire can be seen everywhere. What's happened here? What's the secret behind it all? Check out the blog written by our team Have you seen our blog? Did you notice the categories? As there is also miscellaneous content in these posts, we have created the following categories: * News: Early announcements of works-in-progress and new projects. * Developer Talk: Free talk about game development, why we did what we did in the games, and anything about game development. * Behind the Story: About the story and its setting, messages hidden in the game subtly. ...and more categories coming soon. You may suggest what you'd like to know from us. Check out our blog Next newsletter is coming in late June, at the start of summer. June 2018 - "Sneak Peek at the next Dark Parables Mystery!" Today is the summer solstice, the first day of summer! The sun is shining high in the blue, blue sky, green leaves and colorful flowers look even more beautiful in the daytime! Summer is a happy season, luring us to go out and have fun. When you've played outside too long and the muggy weather bothers you, or if you don't want to get tanned, come inside for a break with some tea! Check out our e-newsletter to learn about the hottest news from Blue Tea Games. Early announcement of the next Dark Parables Everybody is excited for the upcoming Dark Parables: The Matchgirl's Lost Paradise. The survey is estimated to be released in early summer. Since summer's started already, we won't have to wait too long. Let's see a bit more before we get in to the investigation with the Fairytale Detective. We saw two concepts last time, so let's look at the map this time. This case takes place in a valley landform. The areas of the New Town and the Old Town are included. What else do you see? Storytelling Blue Tea Games designed the story outline and the characters in the upcoming Dark Parables. We place special importance on the story, since it's part of a larger series. We expect an adventure to tell an engaging story; meeting different characters, learning the plot gradually, and stopping an evil plan all add to this story. Like reading a book or watching a movie, a story should be learned slowly, added up bit by bit, enticing players to reveal the full truth. For those who love the stories of Blue Tea Games, do you want to see a sneak peek of the Matchgirl's story before the demo? It might be slightly different from what you see during the game, but you might learn things you won't in the game. Spoiler Alert -- Stop reading now if you don't want to learn about The Matchgirl's Lost Paradise Prologue "She's coming to stop me. I know..." A girl stands at a high place, alone. She's mumbling; talking to herself only, for no one lives in the village anymore. It's a late autumn through mid-winter night, cold enough to freeze people; the girl doesn't seem to care. She's wearing a dress that exposes her shoulders and holds an ornate staff high over her head. The head of the staff glows eerily, making it seem like a matchstick. She's waiting for someone -- for a hindrance to her plans to come. Just as HE predicted, a carriage with someone arrived in this area... Life was entirely erased by the fire, but no corpses were found. Flames of Illusion -- that's what people called the mystery. Similar cases before this one were just rumors, passed down for hundreds of years. The most recent case involved the landowner of Stars Hollow, whose house caught on spooky blue fire three days ago. The landowner was seen inside, but had no intention to escape from the fire. The strange part was that he disappeared, along with the fire; even more mysterious, the house showed no signs of fire. As always, you were entrusted with this case, and many others that couldn't be solved by human power. These cases sound like bedtime stories, with magic, curses, princesses, witches, and other fabled characters involved. Sometimes you're requested to go to far off places, such as tall mountains or vast seas to solve mysteries. It's all because you're the Fairytale Detective. "The Matchgirl...?" The name of this crucial person flashed through your mind. You were listening to your tape recorder, reading your journal with its newspaper clippings and pieces of information to prepare yourself before arriving at the scene of the case. It's your habit; there's not much to do in a carriage, after all, except organize your thoughts. People were afraid and fled for their lives when the landowner's house caught fire. The village was quiet and lifeless as your carriage passed by. It's hard to imagine there were so many people living here just a few days before. Just as your carriage stopped in the plaza, in front of a statue, a girl appeared in the distance, as if she'd been waiting for you for a long time. She waved the staff in her hand and pointed it toward you. Before you could think, a fireball flew from the staff straight to your carriage. The carriage was hit! The horse, scared, ran away. Luckily, you got out of the carriage just in time. However, kindling and debris from the flames started burning the houses everywhere. When you open your eyes, you find yourself surrounded by fire. "It's not an illusion... these flames are real!" ''you muttered. You look at the girl standing on the roof of a house; you're sure this is the Matchgirl you were sent to find. Illuminated by the bright flames, the girl smirked. It's a clear message: you're not welcome here. More than that, she's trying to provoke you. Then the Matchgirl leaves, disappearing into the darkness. You had no choice but to escape from the blaze first. A beautiful mansion nearby seemed strong enough to resist the fire, and perhaps there was something useful inside. Luckily, the door was unlocked, allowing you to slip through to safety. A gorgeous chamber filled with luxurious decorations, and subtly lit by fire outside and moonlight, came into view. You looked around quickly, as usual; what most attracted you was not the glittering treasures, but instead, a tiny matchbox. The matches inside were wet. In fact, the entire chamber was dank as well, and the entire carpet appeared to be soaked with buckets of water. The design on the matchbox was the same as the matchboxes found in cases before; a paper torn from a diary was found next to the matchbox: ''"A girl sold me a box of magic matchsticks claiming it grants wishes." You realized it's the house of the vanished landowner; people tried to put out the fire with water, but it was too late... To be continued... Exclusive Clip from Blue Tea Games Blue Tea Games was founded in 2003. Up to now, it's already been 15 years! Let's review the great games we've made. Which game is your favorite? Next newsletter should be coming late July, towards mid to late summer. ''' More exclusive stories about The Matchgirl's Lost Paradise, and... a surprise letter from a princess! Don't miss it! '''July 2018 - "The Prelude of the Match Fire Mystery" "Inevitably you're going to be delayed somewhere. Always have a book. Always have a movie. Always have a notebook. And then always have a sense of humour." -Phil Keoghan Unexpected results will inevitably happen for a variety of reasons, especially when you aren't directly involved with a project. It's mid summer already, and the survey of the latest Dark Parables is still in preparation. We regret to say the survey had to be delayed a bit; it's almost done according to what we have been told. However, we still expect it to be available in the near future. A delay is better than a disaster! Let's preview what's coming up. Early announcement of the next Dark Parables For the grammatical reason and the more common use of the tale's name, the title of the next Dark Parables game has been changed to The Match Girl's Lost Paradise. Though we liked the name "Matchgirl" for its unique sound and feel of a strong character, it's fine to call this character the Match Girl instead. Storytelling We posted the first part of the prologue of the next Dark Parables in the previous newsletter. We've divided the story into chapters of a game; sometimes it's six chapters, while other times it's ten (but the amount of content in the games should be the same. If the game has six chapters, the chapters will be longer than if the game had ten chapters). The prologue, called Chapter 0 for our development team, is the content from the beginning of the game until you see "Chapter 1" appear on screen. In this letter we've posted the last part of the prologue. Since it's a story outline, a large amount of gameplay-related content has been omitted. In story outlines, we concentrate on the plot primarily (and additional content you won't see in the game, such as other characters' perspectives of the plot). Once again, since this is only an outline, it will be different from what you see in the final product. We will still use the term "Matchgirl" in this plot outline, since it is what we originally planned to use. Spoiler Alert -- Stop reading now if you don't want to learn about The Match Girl's Lost Paradise Prologue (Part 2) There should be some more clues about the mystery in the landlord's house. But before you investigate, you'd better extinguish the fire burning more and more furiously outside first. You searched around quickly and picked up some items by intuition (because, of course, your intuition is always correct) and grabbed a soaked mantle found inside the room, which allowed you to have limited protection under the raging flames. You rushed out and stopped in front of the statue, the place your carriage just being attacked. A statue stood in the middle of the plaza, the centerpiece of a fountain. A faucet was at the base of the statue like you predicted. After a bit of work to activate it, the water sprayed everywhere! Instantly, the flames were gone. Getting wet in such cold weather is definitely painful, but still better than being burnt alive. You were relieved and took a short break beside the statue. You realized the statue had an eerie resemblance to the Matchgirl you saw. A plaque at the statue's feet held another mystery: There's a wish-granting witch who lives in the forest. Another witch? The word made you recall all your previous cases dealing with witches. Those women had magic powers, but none were benign; they tended to drag innocent people into their plots. Some of them were doubted to be witches, but they changed their names or even changed their appearances to evade capture. The term 'witch' was almost equal to villain! You wondered if there were any good witches still in this world. If the Matchgirl was a witch, what was her goal? Eternal youth, endless life, almighty power, revenge... the list goes on and on. You could easily think up tons of reasons for a witch's plan. Granting wishes sounded good, but it couldn't be so simple. In fact, people who made wishes with the magic matches were the ones who disappeared! Getting back to the landlord's house, this time without the luminous flames outside, you saw a large mirror reflecting moonlight. You could now start your close inspection. You turned papers and notes, and miscellaneous pieces of information were found, including a document about falling stars that had been frequently observed around here for more than a hundred years; the village, Stars Hollow, was named after these stars. The village was also built by a kingdom relic. The kingdom's name on the document was too blurred to read, but you could make out the emblem: a golden axe and acorn adorning a shield. A newspaper in the room also reported the tale of the vanished landowner, and explained that no body was found. Perhaps the most interesting note in the room was a storybook about a witch that lived in the forest. Legend says that the witch grants wishes. It seemed that the legend of the forest witch was once a good story; at least no cases of blue fire were mentioned, and the tale was passed from generation to generation in this village. Suddenly, you had a strong feeling that you were being stared at. You looked around the room; nobody was there, except some lifelike sculptures, exquisite figurines, and huge nutcracker dolls. You kept glancing around until your eyes found the large mirror. You slowly made your way towards the mirror; you didn't know why, but it felt like someone looked at you behind it. You stared at your reflection, the reflected Detective stared back at you. You touched the mirror, and the reflection did the same to you. Without a doubt, it was only a normal mirror... But then your image distorted: it became a long-haired girl, and as the picture cleared, you could see it was the Matchgirl! She stretched her hand out from the mirror to grab you. In fright you retreated a few steps, still you barely escaped her grasp. You had a feeling that you were about to be dragged into the mirror. The Matchgirl's face faded and disappeared; the mirror was once again the image of familiarity. Flame of illusion, fireballs, and the mirror enchantment.. You saw at least three types of magic your enemy can use already. Who knows if she has even more? How is such a young girl (it seems she's not older than Princess Brigid, the Salt Princess) able to have multiple witchcraft talents? The opponent this time seemed to be an unfair match for the Detective, didn't she? Perhaps the Matchgirl was spying on you from the mirror, to see if you would leave or not, but you had a stronger feeling that she was luring you to chase her. Even if it was a trap, you had no choice but to move on. If the Matchgirl was the witch in the forest, then the forest was the best place to search for her. Though there were unsolved enigmas in the village, you decided to come back later. You really wanted to have a talk to such a stange girl, and you felt she wished to do the same, too. Upon leaving the village, you saw an abandoned zone in the countryside different from the prosperity in Stars Hollow. The Matchgirl was walking farther to a dilapidated area in the distance, located under the shimmer of falling stars. You decided to chase behind her. In front of rubble and collapsed buildings, you found that your way was blocked. It looked like the gateway of a citadel. The Matchgirl was looking at you from the top of the gatehouse. Your eyes met hers; she smirked again, then turned away. She knew you would come to her. You checked for any method to get in. A rusted emblem decorated with a golden acorn and an axe was on the gate. To be continued... A Letter from a Princess After a case is closed, will the people involved keep in contact with the Detective? Perhaps, as we know many of these characters will reappear in later cases to lend the Detective a helping hand. Even if they haven't shown up in a long time, we would still like to know how they're doing. See what Brigid, the salt princess, has to say to the Detective. It might give you some hints about her story in the future... Potential Spoilers -- The content below will spoil parts of the plot of Return of the Salt Princess More exclusive previews of Dark Parables: The Match Girl's Lost Paradise and other exciting content included. Don't miss our newsletters! The next newsletter should be coming late summer or early autumn. August 2018 - "Introduction of the Otherworld" "August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time." -Sylvia Plath August days are almost over. Many cities suffered heat waves and extremely hot weather this summer. August rain helps cool down the world. What's the weather like where you live? Is it rainy like ours? See what odd and interesting things we bring to you in this newsletter. Early announcement of the next Dark Parables The survey of the next Dark Parables ''title, The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise, has been released. Have you tried it? Did you enjoy it? We hope you liked it and will look forward to the full game, estimated to release in Q4 of this year. Let’s see more of our concept drafts: the Sundial and the Moondial. The devices seem to be in a pair. If you have tried the survey, you may recognize the Sundial from the game already. Where could the Moondial be located? Can you imagine what the use of these devices is? '''The Inhabitants of the Otherworld' “There are other worlds out there just beyond the one we're in.” The Otherworld is a core concept of our stories. For example, Solwood, an enchanted realm, flourishes with golden leaves and silver branches isolated from human world; Rosaria, a territory of fairies, where no place in the world is equal to its beauty; the Fabled Land of eternal night where invaluable treasures can be found; the Crooked House, an insane place that reflects the twisted mind of the Crooked Man; the fantastic world of Enchantia, and more. The settings of these worlds, including the mythical creatures, the magic systems, the cultures and the religions, are all fragments waiting to be woven together. Some of them have been used in our stories. You may see more in our future games. Welcome to the Otherworld. Fairies There are many different types of fairies. Sometimes they’re called faerie, faery, fay, or spirit. Though they are all embraced by the term “fairy”, they are completely different races, much like how catfish, goldfish, jellyfish, and starfish are all "fish" but they're completely different creatures. Some fairies are tiny, while some of them are as big as a human; some are timid, while some are mischievous. Flower Spirits Height: About 3 inches Characteristics: In appearance, they're similar to flowers and plants, they float in the air Habitat: Undisturbed areas of nature far from human life; the Forbidden Grove Food: Pollen, honey, dew, floral scents Flower spirits are named for their appearance, which is similar to flower blossoms. Flower spirits are found in multiple colors, each relating to a specific flower. Rosy red, tulip yellow, and lily blue are the most frequently seen by travelers. Other types of flower spirits like lilac violet, crimson poppy, white jasmine, and pink peach are rare but still seen from time to time. Legends say flower spirits are created when a flower is grown with moon's dew, but such an occurence is very rare. Such tiny creatures usually live far away from humans due to their timidity. Flower spirits are intelligent, though people can't communicate with them verbally or through telepathy. During an astronomical or magical event, when boundaries blur between this land and the next, travelers might become lost in the Otherworld. Flower spirits guide the lost people through their land, back to the traveler's home. Though they are timid little things and often reluctant to show themselves, they obstruct creatures from going to a certain area in the Otherworld if there's danger ahead. They have limited power to affect nature, such as making vines grow rapidly or letting brambles move in a limited area. Similar magical abilities allow the spirits to protect their homeland from being invaded by enemies. Simply put, they are harmless creatures. However, if you intend to hurt them, they might trap you with brambles. Unless you are very lucky, or you are truly a brave adventurer who puts your life in danger constantly by traveling to unknown lands, flower spirits typically will not appear close to you. We have records that flower spirits are found in the Mirror World, within the Forbidden Grove. Due to flower spirits rarely being seen with humans, we don't have a concrete lifespan for them. But we're sure that their favorite things are flowers! Naming them after the flowers most similar to their appearances would certainly please them. Sing a Fortune-Telling Song ' ' Oranges and Lemons. "Oranges and Lemons!" say the bells of St. Clement's. "You owe me five farthings," say the bells of St. Martin's. "When will you pay me?" ask the bells at Old Bailey. "When I grow rich," say the bells at Shoreditch. "When will that be?" ask the bells of Stephney. "I do not know," says the great bell of Bow. Here comes a candle to light up your bed, And here comes a chopper to chop off your head. Chip, chop, chip, chop, the last man is dead. More exclusive stories and exciting content is included in our next newsletter. Don't miss it! The next newsletter should be coming in the fall. September 2018 - "Mirror, Mirror, Mirror of Dark Parables" “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” -Albert Camus The date of the Autumnal Equinox is on September 23rd of this year. Traditionally, it's a day to mark the end of summer and the beginning of autumn (in the Northern Hemisphere); that is to say, fall has come! Colors of fall foliage come along with a cool breeze. The warmth of summer's wreckage remains to keep a balance on weather. It's a beautiful and comfortable season to enjoy. We’ve prepared something splendid to match this season just for you. Early announcement of the next Dark Parables A shattered mirror stands alone in the castle ruins as pale moonlight falls upon it. Something that is not really there is reflected inside; it's the concept art of the hallway. In the next Dark Parables, The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise, mirrors will be symbolic items that play an important role throughout the game. There is more than one large, magical mirror. Perhaps they are in a pair...again? The Inhabitants of the Otherworld “I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?” -John Lennon Fairy There are many different types of fairies. Even if we know they're real and we believe in their existence, we may not see them, not even once. People say children are most likely to spot out fairies; perhaps it's due to their innocence, since simplicity and playfulness are similar to most fairies' natures. The Light Fairies Height: Not larger than a child's palm Characteristics: Glowing, agile flying, gossiping Habitat: Forests and ponds Food: Sunshine, luminosity Light Fairies usually appear as glowing spots in the air. Sometimes people mistake them for the will-o'-wisp, but if you ever see how they move, all you'll see is a vividly glowing dot that randomly flies in all directions. If you ever have a chance to see a Light Fairy resting on a leaf, you can see a pair of butterfly-like wings quivering on the back of a small, humanoid figure inside the light. They are tiny in size, not larger than a child's hand. Their personalities are similar to a mischievous child, too. Light Fairies are gregarious creatures that like playing in groups. They especially like secrets and gossip. They are intelligent beings, able to use human language to talk, although sometimes their talking speed is just like their agility: you might not be able to tell what they're saying. There are reports that say they could talk with a normal speed if they want. Light Fairies might slip into the ears of sleeping humans too. They can tell dreadful stories in dreams to cause nightmares. Basically, they won't create something out of nothing, but they sometimes tend to exaggerate the truth. They like to show up in front of alone people unexpectedly, then intentionally divulge terrible rumors and gloat over people's nervousness and fright. Due to their impish nature, they live relatively close to humans. If you are walking alone in a forest or getting near a pond, where the environment seems peaceful for living and has a warm glow, you are very likely to have the chance to meet Light Fairies there! Light Fairies are active during daytime. They usually hide inside flowers during night. When petals close for the night, Light Fairies slumber sweetly behind them. The fairies coexist with most pollinating insects. Butterflies and honey bees are their friends. Light Fairies are weak in physical strength, not even stronger than butterflies. Probably due to this weakness, they are able to move dexterously. It's almost impossible to catch a Light Fairy with your hands or even a net. Unlike most creatures who need food to survive, Light Fairies need luminosity to keep living. They could live longer than a human life if a sufficient light source is ensured. Sing a Fortune-telling Song One Misty Moisty Morning. One misty, moisty morning, When cloudy was the weather, I chanced to meet an old man Clothed all in leather. He began to compliment, And I began to grin, How do you do, how do you do? And how do you do again? The next newsletter should be coming in the season of the witch. More exclusive stories and brilliant content included. Don't miss it! October 2018 - "Witches of the Blue Tea Universe" “Crisp air. Harvest colors. Sweet aroma. Fall is almost gone, followed by cold weather. Candies disappear. Come closer. Ghosts appear! Let's enjoy the spookiest moment of the year!” -Blue Tea Games Happy Halloween, everyone! Are there pumpkins everywhere? Is there a scary atmosphere around? Maybe a cup of Blue Tea would help to increase spookiness to match this season. See what will make you scream this time! Early announcement of the next Dark Parables There's a hut erected deep inside the forest. Look at the hut! It looks like it's standing on a chicken leg. Have you ever seen such a spooky design? Herbs, fruits, and something unknown is hanging outside the house; seems like raw materials for potion making. Pumpkins carved with facial expressions are glowing magically as lanterns to light the road in the darkness. You can almost see them grinning to you. Who's living inside there? The answer shall be in the next Dark Parables, The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise, coming soon. Walpurgis Night Witches are one of the most traditional (as well as mysterious) entities we associate with Halloween. They also play an important role in many fairy tales, folktales, and also in our games. Usually, we only call them 'the witch'; seldom do we know their names. It's probably due to secret names for evil creatures, like "You-Know-Who" or "Who-Must-Not-Be-Named". Besides their names, how much you know about them? Let's play a crossword puzzle about witches. Perhaps you may find some of their secrets inside. (The answer will be revealed in the next newsletter) Across: a. A sin to describe a witch who was offended for not being invited to a princess's birth festival; she later cursed the baby princess. b. A mutable zodiac sign ruled by mercury. Witches born under this sign are good with magic, as they are intelligent and able to pay attention to details. c. A very old concept learnt by advanced witches and warlocks on how to change basic substances; a theory of transmutation from base metal to gold. d. An orange vegetable commonly used for carving lanterns. Witches might turn it into a carriage with spells. e. A celestial source of powerful magic that affects witchcraft. It can affect the tides and people's moods. Witches are intimately connected to it. f. One of a common, small animal known as a witch's familiar, or a transformed state of a human cursed by a witch. g. A spherical item used as a symbol of royal regalia or witch's artifact for seeing the future. h. The name of classical nature elements commonly used in witches' magic circles. It means ‘earth’. i. A type of story or folktale typically about the early history of people, including deities, magic, and witches, among other things. j. Leaves or flowers used by witches for healing or another magical use. k. A sin to describe a witch who is addicted to the delicacy of the flesh and blood of children. She even made a gingerbread house to waylay children into her trap. l. A sin to describe a lowborn witch who desired power and reputation, reaching for the touch of forbidden knowledge: black magic. The darkness seduced her completely. m. A thin rod used by witches or magicians to cast spells. n. A small creature people may not find very pleasant to look at. It might become giant and aggressive under a witch's enchantments. o. A concept about the cycle of cause and effect. What happens to a person happens because they caused it with their actions. Evil witches tend to not believe in such concepts. Down: 1. A gemstone that comes from the sea or freshwater. Witches believe it's intimately connected to the moon. 2. A climbing, ever green plant that is poisonous if ingested. It has the power of destruction. Witches seldom use it as medicine, yet it carries a symbolic meaning of healing and undying. 3. A fruit beloved by witches for enchantments. People who eat it may fall into eternal sleep. 4. A creature that could be summoned or created by witches or sorcerers as servants. They come to people seeking deals. If you can't give it what you promised, you need to guess its name right. 5. A kind of textbook written by witches or sorcerers, typically including how to perform magical spells, divination, ceremony, etc. 6. A mysterious figure, traditionally in the image of a grandmother wearing a bonnet, who makes or collects quite a few creepy nursery rhymes. People guess she may be a witch. 7. A sin to describe a formerly kind-hearted witch whose husband was killed. She blamed others for the death of her husband. Such gut-wrenching grief turned her cruel and evil. 8. A sin to describe a witch's trickery about helping people; she didn't make people's wishes come true, but showed them convincing illusions. 9. A divination in which witches look into a crystal ball to detect visions. 10. A type of mythical being with multiple forms, some of them are as tiny as bugs, while some are as big as humans. People might not see them, but witches and most children can. 11. A sin to describe a talented witch, who's blessed with wisdom, fair looks, and status, but wants further knowledge and power, the secret of immortality, favor of the gods, and more. 12. A straight-line configuration of three or more celestial bodies. It's often used in reference to the sun, Earth, and the moon. Solar or lunar eclipses occur at this time; witches like to have rituals at this time as well. 13. A sin to describe an elegant witch who enchanted the king with her beauty and ordered the killing of her step daughter, who was prettier than her. She enjoyed people's obsessions about her. 14. An action that is meant to be a joke or taunt as a form of entertainment; happens most during the season with witches, monsters, ghosts, and children. If you do not give out treats, surely you will get this. 15. Supernatural powers used by witches. 16. Similar to a sheep, but better in climbing. A common totem in witchcraft that carries symbolic meaning and wards off against dark magic. The next newsletter should be coming around the time of the frost moon. More exclusive stories and brilliant content included. Don't miss it! November 2018 - A Fortune-Telling Rhyme of the Moon “And November sad, a psalm tender, trustful, full of balm, thou must breathe in spirits' calm.” -Caroline May November usually gives off a feeling of gloom and not enough light, with autumn foliage gone, dull colors seem to occupy everything in daytime, making you inevitably sad. The air turns cooler, night becomes longer, and the starry sky gets clearer. Perhaps we shall turn our attention from the sunshine to the moonshine. There are different poetic names for the full moon of November, such as the Beaver Moon, Frost Moon, and Mourning Moon. Grab a cup of hot tea, and enjoy the crisp nights of November. Is Blue Tea your favorite? More about Dark Parables: The Match Girl's Lost Paradise The latest Dark Parables, The Match Girl's Lost Paradise, has been released for almost a month. We believe there are still some players who haven't tried it yet, and maybe they would like to experience the game during vacation later. Let's see some character designs as a preview, then! For those who have finished the whole game already, see if you can recognize secrets from the small details. Here's the character concept of the Match Girl. The costume is inspired by Danish folk dresses. Of course, the Match Girl should be related to match fire, which is why her staff appears as a giant matchstick. She's skilled in fire manipulation, not bound to control only a real or illusory flame. The embroidery on her costume is inspired by the phoenix. At the very beginning, we hesitated on the image of the Match Girl and how old she should be. Though in the world of Dark Parables, 'age' for most fabled characters is meaningless (as they have long lives due to magic), the character art tends to represent the character's emotional maturity or image. To match the name 'Little Match Girl, the character should be a child, but in the story, she should be an adult since she's no longer just a helpless girl in the street. Our art lead even designed another version of the Match Girl who looks to be mature. We all thought the mature version of this character seems to be a bit too evil. Though the Mat ch Girl is a villain in our plot, we wanted to keep her innocent and childish for the first time you meet her. Finally, the juvenile Match Girl was adopted as what you see in the game. This is the second time for Prince Julian to show up in Dark Parables series. To know more of his story from before, please refer to Dark Parables: Jack and the Sky Kingdom. His hands look to be a charred black, covered by a mysterious blue gleam that emits sparkles. All victims sent to the Match Girl's garden have these strange marks. However, don't forget that Julian is a masterful illusionist. Who knows if what he's showing is real? Sing a Fortune-telling Song We have made quite a few works inspired by fairy tales, folklore, nursery rhymes and myths, we've told stories about magic, witches, deities, mythical creatures and mysteries... Imagine, what if these enchanted elements and stories were brought to reality? Perhaps... something physical, instead of something on a screen? Hey, Diddle, Diddle. Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon. The little dog laughed, to see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon. “The Moon is associated with people's mental side. Feelings, intuition, emotions, every non-physical affair in the subconscious of the mind, and even the surreal psychic abilities. While it sounds like folly and nonsense, the world of the imaginary should be full of insanity. To weave unrestrained dreams and to become creativity and possibility.” Walpurgis Night (Answers) The next newsletter should be coming with the season's greetings. More exclusive stories and brilliant content included. Don't miss it! December 2018 - "Season's Greetings from Blue Tea Games" "Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand, and for a talk beside the fire; it is time for home." -Edith Sitwell Wishing you peace, love, and laughter this holiday season! What do you prefer to do for Christmas? You might plan to take a trip or visit a festival for vacation, to start a book you've been meaning to read, to play your favorite games continuously, or to enjoy a peaceful night on doing nothing; it all sounds good! No matter what you do, it's perfectly accompanied by warm food and fun this holiday season! And a good cup of tea can turn the worst dishes into delicacies! Is Blue Tea your choice this holiday? Early announcement of the next Dark Parables The Fairytale Detective’s journey continues. The mysterious case this time seems to revolve around a haunted painting. Legends say sounds of weeping come from the portrait at night, and sometimes the duckling in the portrait disappears. These are only rumors, as the painting had been lost for centuries. Nobody has actually seen the painting, at least recently. Such a lost, legendary portrait shall appear in the next Dark Parables, bringing a new case to you. What could it be? Who dug it out, and why? Who's the lady inside the portrait? Sing a Fortune-telling Song "Life is a Game of Hope. I wish only to help." Perhaps you will agree that most classic nursery rhymes sound creepy or odd when taken literally, especially old rhymes from the 18th or 19th centuries, often interchangeable as Mother Goose's rhymes. People say rhymes have hidden meanings... if you know how to find them. Sing a Song of Sixpence. Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rye. Four and twenty blackbirds, Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn't that a dainty dish, To set before the king. The king was in his counting house Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlour, Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden, Hanging out the clothes, When down came a blackbird And pecked off her nose. The Holly and the Ivy. The Holly and the Ivy, When they are both full grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood, The Holly bears the crown; The Holly bears a blossom, As white as lily flower, And the mother bore the sweet child, To be the Frog’s daughter; The Holly bears a berry, As red as any blood, And the mother bore the sweet child To remind the curse and love; The Holly bears a prickle, As sharp as any thorn And the mother bore the sweet child, May the little one grow strong; The Holly bears a bark, As bitter as any gall, And the mother bore the sweet child Mortal life shall cease after all; The Holly and the Ivy, When they are both full grown, Of all the trees that are in the wood, The Holly bears the crown The next newsletter should be coming after season's greetings. More exclusive stories and brilliant content included. Don't miss it! January 2019 - "Wishing You a 'Fairy' New Year" “And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been.” -Rainer Maria Rilke Wishing you a happy holiday and a joyful new year! Best wishes from your friends at Blue Tea Games. Have you made your new year's resolutions? Any challenges you'd like to conquer this year? We do have new project plans this year. Perhaps our periodic report of news might encourage and motivate you to accomplish your goals. Early announcement of the next Dark Parables Paintings of animal skeletons were discarded on the river shore. Who made these spooky pictures? The canvases were covered with dust and dirt, showing they have been abandoned for a long time. The abnormal moonlight creates an uneasy atmosphere. A forgotten manor house lies on the other side of the river, beckoning you... The Inhabitants of the Otherworld "Yet in other traditions, a fairy can be good or bad, depending on the circumstance or on the fairy's whim. They are often portrayed as a moral beings, rather than as immoral ones, who simply have little comprehension of human notions of right and wrong." - Terri Windling Fairy There are many different types of fairies, but not all have good intentions when approaching humans. Some of them carry ‘bad’ things as their duty, such as illness, aging, and eternal sleep. These faeries would steal human souls to proclaim humans' deaths. This group is formed of many members with different appearances; some of them are pixies, tiny creatures with insect's wings, while some appear similar to goblins, but they are all commonly described as Dark Faeries. They are ruled by the supreme Faery Queen. The Dark Faeries come from a mysterious land hidden to outsiders. It is at the end of the world, the realm of darkness, dreams, and death. When humans' souls don't know where to go, wandering around aimlessly after their death, the Dark Faeries guide the agitated souls to come with them. The souls and faeries join together to form a procession of the dead that wanders at midnight, to go back to the traveled road. Some people, such as lost travelers, sleepwalkers, or those near death may stray into this "procession" unconsciously when they are still alive. If they are lucky, they will notice that they shouldn't go further and leave before something terrible happens... More about Dark Parables: The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise The Forest Witch looks to be the very image of elegance and kindness. "On the contrary of Amelia" is the main concept of this character design. Thus, the color scheme we used is ivory and blue, and this also matches her title, "The White Lady". Sadly, the memorial statue of such a graceful woman was turned into a monster. The tangled vines were made by magical beans. If you went through the adventure in the Sky Kingdom with Jack, you might remember when Prince Hugh grasped a bean in his palm and vines grew rapidly to form a giant vine prosthesis with inhuman strength. The design of the monstrous statue only had vines on its hands in our original draft. The statue came to life due to the strong feeling of loss emanated by Giselle, and later it was reformed by the magic found within the magic beans. The next newsletter should be coming in the lovers’ month. More exclusive stories and brilliant content included. Don't miss it! February 2019 - "Intoxicating Love Affairs of Blue Tea" "Love, unrequited, robs me of my rest: Love, hopeless love, my ardent soul encumbers: Love, nightmare-like, lies heavy on my chest, And weaves itself into my midnight slumbers!" -William S. Gilber February, the month of love. Love is an essential element in our stories. It's the source of romance, and sometimes it's a source of pain. It can be shown by a simple word, but it's also the most difficult emotion to portray. Luckily, this is also the month of chocolate! The chemical nature of chocolate makes people happy. Tea and chocolate are excellent companions. We hope that Blue Tea will have the same magical effect that chocolate has on you. Early announcement of the next Dark Parables A title of a work does not always have great significance, but it gives the first impression when there's little else to go off of. The title of the upcoming Dark Parables is Portrait of the Stained Princess. What impression do you have from the name? Magical items have important roles in the series, not only because of their imbued powers, but because the histories of the artifacts relate to the current adventures. Not to mention that our items are extraordinarily beautiful! You might want to own them if you see them in real life. An enchanted flower in an orb seems to never wither. A trinket ring with locket, a pledge of sworn devotion. Please look forward to our upcoming game Dark Parables: Portrait of the Stained Princess. The survey build is estimated to be released in Q1 of this year. More about Dark Parables: The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise Roses usually symbolize love. Nothing beats sending roses to your beloved to express your love on Valentine's Day. Roses sometimes symbolize horror, sacrifice, or insanity. For those interested in the dark symbolism of roses in fairy tales, you may refer to The Rose Tree, The Nightingale, and The Rose and the Maiden with the Rose on her Forehead. In Dark Parables: The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise, the Rose Terrace is one of the scenes in the Garden, the dream world created by the Match Girl. She truly believes everyone can be happy in her Garden, even though their souls were taken in reality. Roses flourish in different sizes, all a red color painted on white flowers. The sky is colorful with brush strokes. Puppet dolls and garden gnomes are scattered about. It's like a scene from a picture book. The creator of this spooky dreamland, though she has a twisted mind, is still a child at heart. Sing a Fortune-telling Song "It's a game of hope. The Game of Illusory Hope, shall I say." CURSERY is a word made from 'curse' and 'nursery' that we regard as a short form of "cursed nursery rhymes". A new project we are planning is a playing deck that includes divination and mysterious stories with the theme of Mother Goose rhymes. More details will be coming soon... Little Miss Lily. Little Miss Lily, you're dreadfully silly To wear such a very long skirt: If you take my advice, you would hold it up nice, And not let it trail in the dirt. The next newsletter should be coming with the spring breeze. More exclusive stories and brilliant content included. Don't miss it! March 2019 - "Blue Tea Scented Breeze Brings News" "Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn." -Lewis Grizzard- When the sun shines warm and the wind blows cool, we know Spring has come. The lake breeze stirs the trees. Blossoms are fluttering and dancing in the breath of spring. See what the wind carries? The breeze mingled with quackings. Honk! Quack! Boo! Early announcement of the next Dark Parables A solitary ruined belfry erects and an ominous crimson night sky behind. What's this place? Faded trinkets and toys are collected inside a giant nest cradle. Perhaps these once were precious for someone or something else. Though we estimated before that the survey build should be released on Q1, it seems the game needs more time to be ready. The survey build is coming soon. Please look forward. More about Dark Parables: The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise''' Dolls parade! It's the Old Town in the illusion world. See how the Match Girl reconstructed the village she once lived in Dark Parables: The Match Girl's Lost Paradise. The concept is inspired from the The Emperor's New Clothes, the scene of the king parading about his city to show off the pretty garment. The king is wearing his beautiful clothes of flame, endlessly burning. Dolls were laughing like fools, performing a farce play called The King's Fiery Clothes. Faces can be seen on every house. They were once human but being turned into stuff to contribute the Garden due to their souls lost. '''Sing a Fortune-telling Song Lenormand cards, a cartomancy possibly less known by people like Tarot, were named after a French famous fortune teller Marie Anne Lenormand in the 18th century. Though people nowadays believe that the cards were actually named after Marie Anne's death in order to be benefited from her reputation. She's a legendary figure, an arcane master. There were numerous ways that people refer to her name in various books, documents and stories. Her name has also been spelled a number of different ways. 36 selected nursery rhymes are bestowed upon different meanings combined in Lenormand cards. Each card features a unique combination of numbered playing-card imagery and illustrated scenes used for fortune-telling. The project of CURSERY Lenormand Cards is currently in progress. Further details will be forthcoming. Next Newsletter should be coming before the erection of maypoles. More exclusive stories and brilliant content included. Don't miss it! April 2019 - "Happy May Day from Blue Tea Games" "No Winter lasts forever, no Spring skips its turn. April is a promise that May is bound to keep, and we know it." -Hal Borland-'' Easter holidays have just passed and May Day is coming. No matter what you celebrate hope you enjoy the holidays. People nowadays know that May Day refers to the date for International Workers' Day. Besides it's a traditional spring celebration in many cultures. Walpurgis Night, the witches' night, which we have mentioned in the Halloween last year, actually it's celebrated on the night of 30 April until the rising of the May-dawn. People light bonfires all night in order to ward off evil spirits. May Day, also known as Beltane in the Celtic festival, is halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. At this point, winter is defeated and left behind, waxing light and warmth of the sun heralded the summer's coming. As Spring always comes after Winter, and Summer is guaranteed after Spring. Just like the night may seem to be extremely long but the dawn will surely come. In the meanwhile of waiting, let's have a sneak peek what's upcoming! '''Early announcement of the next Dark Parables' An emblem is a representational pictorial image that represents a kingdom, a family or a person. Emblems tell tales. The concept of the armory. For those who have a fascination for knights in shining armor it's the place to be. Full suits of armor and different types of knight’s weapons are on display. How do these relate to the Stained Princess? More about Dark Parables: The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise King Oberon is a character only shown up in the bonus game of Dark Parables: The Match Girl's Lost Paradise, but being mentioned in the back story of the main plot. Though he didn't play a big role in the story, he's an important character to 'create' the Match Girl. He's eager for the eternal youth as many typical witches in fairy tales. In King Oberon's case, due to his lack of empathy, even he would turn to be young and keep his youth forever, he will not be happy. By the way, his hair is not real but a wig. Sing a Fortune-telling Song Eggs have been associated with the season of Easter. Have you enjoyed the chocolate eggs in the last weekend? We have a themed Easter egg here. Beware it had a great fall from a tower and smashed to pieces. Plus, no chocolate inside. Keywords: Loneliness, Isolation, Protection. "Humpty Dumpty is cracked with a bang. Nobody could put him together again." More exclusive stories and brilliant content included. Don't miss it! May 2019 - "What games to play in summer" “When June comes dancing o’er the death of May, '' ''With scarlet roses staining her fair feet, My soul takes leave of me to sing all day A love so fugitive and so complete.” -Claude McKay-'' May has almost left and June is following. Sunshine becomes more prevalent with temperatures rising. In the northern hemisphere, the summer solstice is considered to be the first day of summer. Hot weather returns and continues, sometimes it might turn to heavy rain showers during the next few months. To escape the heat and the rain, indoor activities like painting, reading and playing games sound great. Never rush paint drying times in humid muggy weather. The portrait might not be ready until dry season comes. Meanwhile, let’s play Blue Tea Games! '''Early announcement of the next Dark Parables.' The beta version of our latest game, Dark Parables: Portrait of the Stained Princess, has been released in May. If you have tried it already, hope you have enjoyed it. if you haven't had a chance to play it, please look forward to the full game. The story centered around a painting "Princess with a Duckling." From the hint of the duckling, plus the subtle word ‘Stained’ from title, you might guess it right the story-line would be based on the fairy tale ‘Ugly Duckling’. For sure it won't be the same classic Ugly Duckling you knew but with a twist. Besides the Ugly Duckling, elements from other fairy tales also included. Some of those are quite famous while some might be lesser known. We have also taken the fairy tales by regions as reference. Indeed there are a lot of tales and folklore we'd never heard from different countries of the world. Before the full game released, let's see what we can expect to see in the adventure. Come by the seashore, you'll see a rock rose high above the water level. The blood moon is on the rise in the crimson and purple stained sky. It seems an infinite scream passing through nature, to give a shriek of something terrible is happening. More about Dark Parables: The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise. The castle in Dark Parables: The Match Girl's Lost Paradise was inspired from the real landmark - Egeskov Slot in Denmark. The word Egeskov also be the name of the ruined kingdom in the game. Egeskov means oak woods in Danish. Legend has it that the oak tree foundations were so huge that a complete oak forest was felled to construct the building which was completed in 1554. This gave the castle its name. In the crest of Egeskov in our game, the elements including acorn, oak leaf and axe can be seen. The legend of Egeskov was hidden in the emblem design. Sing a Fortune-telling Song. Everything is so fragile. Something is just be right there. You take what you can get. You think you can grab it forever. It suddenly flees, being gone in the next moment. Happily ever after will only be found in fairy tales. Sometimes we've to learn letting go, or it gets even worse. It would have been a far worse kind of endlessness. “That was the end of Solomon Grundy.” Good Games Never Get Old. “His books told tales of great adventure… of mystery and intrigue…and now, I will be a part of them.” We enjoy games sometimes because of the attractive plot. Did you ever wonder who write the thrilling stories and how were these stories written? Enlightenus might give you hints. Like most of our games, players take the role of 'Detective', being entrusted by a reclusive author, to find his missing novels. He even asked you to come hurry if you can. You're interested in and being affected by the author's write pieces a lot. When you were a child you would sit under a tree on sunny mornings and you read his novels for hours, sometimes you would even write stories yourself. You decided to pay this reclusive author a quick visit. Explore an entirely different maze full of perplexing puzzles and intricate locks, as you collect each chapter of the missing books. This unique Hidden Object Adventure game challenges you to solve each riddle in order to escape the land of Enlightenus. "But little did I know this adventure would change my life forever…" More exclusive stories and brilliant content shall be included in the next newsletter. Don't miss it! June 2019 - "Fairytales Teach Us Great Things" “‘Just living is not enough’ said the butterfly, ‘one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.’” -Hans Christian Anderson-'' June days are lovely with not too scorching sunshine, blue sky and flower blooms. Enjoy this beautiful season, living in the moment. Fairy tales teach us a great many things. Freedom is one of the most important things in our life. Today there are still people strive to stand up in their resistance against tyranny for the human rights violations. Unlike any fairy tales, there’s no magic's help but only brave mortals. We respect and pray for those never give up their liberties. Early announcement of the next Dark Parables Are you brave enough to enter a haunted house? In an empty hall, crimson moonshine leaks in through the broken windows. A heraldry of swan and sword is covered in dust. Sword is a symbol of knighthood. How about the swan? What does it mean? What kind of clan bears such a house emblem? Why there are skeleton portraits hanging on the wall? Bloody message is left on the wall. Cold air is filled with a slightly rotten odour. A cold breeze sweeps from nowhere as if someone has walked past you... There's someone here besides you! '''More about Dark Parables: The Match Girl’s Lost Paradise' The vault, one of illusory scenery in the Garden. Falling of endless gold sand from the star holes ceiling, becoming coins, jewelry and treasure and then accumulating. The scene design is inspired by the fairy tale "The Star Talers" (German: Die Sterntaler), which is one of the references in the back story of the Match Girl's Lost Paradise. Giselle loved fairy tales. We can find quite a few storybooks in her secret place. Perhaps these stories with the simplistic good-versus-bad logic and ensuring happy endings would help to fill a bit colours in her grey shades of life after losing her grandmother. Thus, she designed her ideal world also based on these stories. Sand falling in an hourglass but it's never filled, which is a concept of timelessness. For those people trapped in the garden, their sanities would be devoured gradually by their desires, turn out losing their souls and become part of the world forever. As the Forest Witch said, eternity for a living creature was only a curse. Sing a Fortune-telling Song With a proper Key, door can be opened, secrets can be unlocked and imprisoned persons can be set free. In the reading of lenormand, the combination of cards results in more meanings. Let's say, when Key combines with Tower, that means to lock up something to protect it. While Key meets Crossroads, that means a decision making. Although there might be dangerous outside we have to choose, fighting for what's right or be a prisoner in silence and fear. It can be ruthless to reveal a secret. Freedom is never free. "Take a key and lock her up, my fair lady." Characters Quotes “When I set out to find the truth about my banishment, I never imagined the price of this truth to be so steep.” -Brigid-'' Brigid was the princess of Grak Kingdom. She’s loved dearly by her Father, King Henryk, and two guards whose close enough with her that she regarded as sisters. She had a happy childhood. However, her happiness was based on lies, part of an evil scheme plotted by someone for thousands of years. She then be banished by her father, for the reason of protecting her even though she didn't know, and wandering about a hundred years until she's lured back. She can choose to escape, live another life. Probably King Henryk would prefer his daughter to forget everything and to live happily. Indeed if Brigid leaves far away from her kingdom ruins, her power shouldn't grow out of control, and then the story of Return of the Salt Princess shouldn't happen. Ignorance is bliss. However, Brigid came back for her eager for the truth. She wanted to know why she's exiled? Although she'd never asked her father and she's being well protected in the castle in her childhood, she should notice something strange about the speed of aging between her father and herself. Remember the parable of The Exiled Salt Princess says, "Time passed by, the King grew old, but the princess was still young". Brigid looked like a juvenile when she's exiled. She should have lived much longer with her father than how she physically looked like actually. So, she also wanted to know what's happened on her for so many years. Truth comes at a price. Brigid cried for the high price she'd paid, but still she has moved on. Let the past rest, and hope for tomorrow. ''"I will become the ‘hope’ for our clan, just as my Father wished." -Brigid-'' '''More exclusive stories and brilliant content shall be included in the next newsletter. Don't miss it!' Unknown Newsletter 2019-2020 Category:Reference Category:Archives